Grrr

2
Just a little vent-- if a parent is going to stay the night with their kid, great! I'll do all the nursing care and let you sleep. Even if this is a chronic kid and I'm doing stuff you normally do at home, that's okay, rest and sleep. But if a child is distressed and needs *comfort*, it's not cool to lay there in the bed and pretend to be asleep, or even better sit there and text while the child is vomiting or crying in pain or is scared. Why do these parents even bother staying??

I understand your vent. Especially when it's an older infant or young toddler who is only comforted by mom or dad. It definitely irks me when mom is laying on the cot with a blanket pulled over her head while her baby is screaming in the crib. I don't have a problem doing suctioning, feeds, giving meds, etc. while mom and dad sleep- but if my presence is only going to scare your child and make them cry more, then please get up and calm your kid down. Or don't you know that screaming their head off isn't really going to help with that sore throat?

Definitely irks me too! There was one time though I HAD to say something to the mom. Was caring for a 5mo old post cardiac-cath. He'd had some respiratory difficulties after and was on a sig. amount of vapotherm. We couldn't feed him and he was MAD about that. Mom goes on to tell me that at home he's so spoiled, she carries him in a sling all day and that she'd been thinking of weaning him off being so attached. Then she proceeded to tell me she was going to start that night! After three hours of him screaming bloody murder (literally had nurses coming from down the hall to see what was wrong with him) and her snoring on the couch I woke her up and told her that she had to hold him, that it was totally appropriate to want to wean him from being held all the time but right now, while he was sick and upset and surrounded by strangers was NOT the time to do it. Not to mention the screaming was worsening his distress (BT shunt/HLHS kiddo, totally keeping blood out of his lungs w/ all that screaming). She did get up and console him, I just couldn't believe the whole situation!

I'm sorry it happens so often that we all know what I'm talking about. Yes it's especially awful with the toddlers who really need their parents. I totally get it if they can't stay, especially if they have other kids at home or whatever. And like I said, I will be happy to do all care for the child so they can rest. But the one thing I can't do is comfort like they can, or at least should.

umcRN, your story is unreal! I can't believe that mom would consider weaning that night. Wow.

Ugh, or they only come in and take the time to complain about what you've done, then immediately go to texting on their phone instead of paying any attention to the kid. Really, what's the point of you coming in? (Oh yeah, so you can complain you need free meals.)

Amen!!!
At my hospital job, my favorite is when parents come out to the nurses' station and state little danny has been crying for 10 mins. LOL. Or state he needs his diaper changed. Im like really? You took the time to walk out of the room down the hall to tell us that and then walk back to the room and lay down?

Ugh, or they only come in and take the time to complain about what you've done, then immediately go to texting on their phone instead of paying any attention to the kid. Really, what's the point of you coming in? (Oh yeah, so you can complain you need free meals.)

I once had a "difficult" mom show up randomly, from home, demanding meal and cab vouchers. She would always yell at me asking why she hasnt recieved her meal vouchers.

My experience, a 4 yo kid, needed all his four anterior upper teeht extracted with local anesthesia and nitrous oxide, so we ask the parents to stay in the room to talk to them and calm them down, well dad decides that he can't do this and hand me a little boy crying because this stranger is taking me away... poor thing went throug this all by himself. BTW dad was at his car smoking after the procedure was done.

Venting, we hear you anon456 we all got bad days, we are here for all of us!!!!